My Immortal
by Gothic Phoenix
Summary: I hope you like my original creation Velvet. She is my dearest furry creation. Dramione pairing. Although I do warn you that it focuses on Harry first, eventually returning to the true muses, Draco and his lovely Hermione. Magical Creatures/OC
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I have wandered and I have feared the truth of my own demise. I have possessed the strength and there is my truth. I am a story teller. No matter the pains or the writings, I have labored. Hope that my attention does not wane for I love the story. A mistress to the muse.**

She wandered down to the cold rocky cliffs lining the coast, staring out at the ocean. She wondered how it had happened so fast, life had a way of forgetting you were living it and just washed one along, crushing bodies on the rocks and grinding them into the smooth sand between the jutting boulders. She felt like she was another ivory body washed up on shore, barely in one piece, barely breathing. She took a deep steadying injection of salty air and exhaled. Her fists clamped tightly in her deep coat pockets. She slowly brought her shaking hands up to her blonde hair, smoothing it back from her face as she slowly closed her bewitching silver eyes. She opened them once more and turned, staring out over the planes and dips of all Europe. Her father loved her and would forgive her.

She woke up screaming. Her once soft, straw straight crimson hair a snarl of tangles as she clawed at her face. The lights went on around her in a blaze of warmth as her mother hurried in, gathering her darling girl in her arms. She murmured soothing words to try and calm her, her voice couldn't drown out the woman's screams. She looked up as Ron appeared in the doorway, staring down on his mother and sister.

"I can take her back to my place for a while. You'll be missing the train," Ron offered, slowly Molly pulled away from the still hysterical woman. He came forward and hugged his mother tightly.

"Are you sure you don't want to go?" Molly breathed, smoothing Ron's hair back from his face.

"I'm sure, I couldn't stand attending another funeral," he breathed.

"Goodbye luv," Molly kissed the top of her only daughter's head and turned to the door.

"What do you want me to tell Luna's father?" She asked before leaving.

"Tell him that she was a wonderful person and...and I'm going to miss her," Ron answered, Molly nodded before disappearing down the stairs where her bags waited by the door. Arthur was already out in the car waiting for her. Ron slowly turned back to Ginny and slowly sat down next to her.

"Bring him back...please," Ginny's voice was barely a wisp, Ron slowly pulled her to him.

"I wish I could, how I wish I could," Ron murmured, tightly wrapping his arms around her, looking past her to the darkness peaking in through her window.

Hermione walked down the echoing hallway, her heels smartly snapping against the ancient stone. She stopped before the door and counted to five before opening it and walking in. She looked around the rolling assemblage of witches, wizards, centaurs, vampires, werewolves, veela and many other magical creatures. This had been their dream, this moment their crowning achievement. Everything had finally come together and they were actually here. She couldn't keep the grin from her face as she took her place beside Harry, he smiled down on her before returning his attention back to the Wizengamot. It was strange to see all these beings actually in the same room.

"Well, now that we have everyone in attendance, let us begin the talks," one of the wizards spoke up, gesturing for the first representative to come forth. It would be a long procession, full of proposals but a start it was.

"For the Vampire representative, Draco Malfoy," one of the proceeding Aurors announced. Hermione and Harry instantly stood as the platinum blonde slowly walked down to the center platform.

"What the hell?" Harry looked to his best friend who was just as shocked as he was.

"I want to tell you all a story about a woman I once knew. She was strong, powerful. Some might have called her...eccentric. Others would have proclaimed her the greatest mind in all history. She certainly changed my life...let me tell you of Luna Lovegood," Draco leveled his ice blue eyes on Hermione before looking back to the Wizengamot.

Draco stood at the corner of Vine and Misery, rubbing his hands together to conjure up some much needed warmth. He glanced around at the passing muggle crowds. He hated muggles, hated being among them. Hated their ignorance and their primitive minds. Hated their lack of culture and especially how NOT special they really are. They were cattle, dumb and unaware. His eyes lighted finally on a man hurrying towards him with a cardboard box in his arms. He spotted Draco and near ran towards him.

"Here sire," he shoved the box at Draco and sprinted off. Draco looked down on the open box on the velvet blanket inside, scratches against the cardboard, growls and hisses as Draco tried to level the box in his arms without dropping it. He grinned as a small furry head popped up out of the dark velvet.

"I think I'll name you Velvet," he told the small creature who let out a pathetic cry. "It's alright little one, I won't harm you," he murmured as he turned down a dark alley to apparate back to his manor.

"Draco! What is that thing?" His mother exclaimed as he walked past her parlor. She hurried towards the box and peered in, Velvet's face peered up at her.

"Her name is Velvet, she's stuck between forms right now because she's so young but she's a weremanx," he answered, Narcissa blinked up at him, confused.

"What is a...weremanx?" She asked.

"They're like a werewolf only different obviously. Manx cats are cats with a stubby tail. Velvet is a weremanx, very rare," he told her before turning and heading up to his room.

"How old is your little pet?" Narcissa followed him, fascinated.

"Probably a year old at best. I didn't get much out of the seller," he answered, tilting the box over onto his bed.

"She must have cost a fortune," Narcissa murmured, stopping at his door as Velvet tumbled out and dug into his expensive coverlet with her razor like claws.

"Of course, she's the only one like her. The ancient tribe of the Weremanxi were hunted down and killed in the 13th century. Only a smattering of them remain," he distractedly recited as he hurried to get a little bowl of milk from the tray he had prepared just for her.

"I see, well, remember you have to go to the Ministry tomorrow with your father," Narcissa turned to leave just as Velvet's very human hazel eyes looked up at her.

"Yes, of course," Draco murmured, running his hand down Velvet's silk coat.

~~~!~~~

Draco raised Velvet into a young girl, teaching her how to talk and live and think. Teaching her how to control her cat side and how to live with the uncontrollable changes during the full moon. He was enraptured by this enchanting girl and was delighted when her letter to Hogwarts arrived, never imagining she might be a witch on top of everything. It had been eleven years since the war, it was time to let his daughter go to school. Velvet Malfoy enrolled at Hogwarts and Draco fretted and worried the entire way to the station. Velvet had turned into a gorgeous raven haired girl with perfect curls and arresting green eyes.

"Mr. Malfoy," Harry nodded to him as the entire Weasley family and entourage passed by, Velvet gripped his hand tightly, scared of all the bustle and sounds.

"Potter," Draco nodded, looking down on the eldest young Potter who was standing next to his bright redheaded mother, looking scared but excited at the same time.

"I didn't know you had children Draco," Hermione spoke up next to Harry.

"I adopted Velvet when she was very young. Velvet, meet Harry Potter," Draco gestured to the tall man, Velvet blinked up at him before smiling cutely.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Potter," she held out her small hand to him. Harry smiled warmly down on her, shaking the offered hand before saying goodbye and leaving. Velvet looked back up to Draco.

"He looks familiar," she told him seriously, Draco frowned, kneeling down to look into Velvet's face.

"That's because he's famous. You know, the savior of the wizarding world and all that," he told her, clasping her hands in his.

"I guess so, I should be going then," she looked up at the train.

"Of course, I love you," he kissed her forehead before letting her run up and onto the train.

"You might be wondering what my daughter has to do with Luna Lovegood. Well that is also a very long story. I met Luna when I was visiting a friend in Italy. Time passes very quickly when you're happy and those eleven years raising Velvet were the happiest I've ever experienced. It was like I had turned 18 again when I sent her off to school. I didn't feel 27 at all. I felt like I was beginning again. Luna was doing a survey there in the valley where the Delphi temple was. She caught my attention right off because she was so determined to find the truth in everything. She just wouldn't stop, it was like watching a flame burn itself out in front of you," Draco explained. "Well, Luna is the second reason why I'm speaking today, the first reason was because of my daughter, Velvet deserves the same rights as any other wizard or witch. She knows as much and she's just as smart," Draco cleared his throat and continued his story.

**When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears

When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears

And I've held your hand through all of these years

But you still have all of me**

Luna walked nervously down to the docks, she twisted her fingers as movement ceased before her. A man stood up and looked towards her, a dark smile on his face. He nodded to her slowly in acknowledgement as she stopped a few paces from him, not trusting him for a second.

"What do you know?" She asked him, her voice hard.

"I know a lot, do you have what I ask for?" He asked her, she shook out her hair and reached into her pouch hanging from her belt, pulling out the synthetic blood and holding it up to the light.

"Tell me," she snatched the blood out of the reflecting moonlight before the tall, dark man could grab it.

"Harry Potter took his child to Hagrid who gave her to a close friend who couldn't raise a Weremanx who sold her to a Seller who in turn sold her to Draco Malfoy. Is that what you wanted to know?" He told her, holding out his pale hand for the bottle.

"Who's the mother?" She asked, clutching the bottle close to her chest.

"That I don't know and what I can't find out, is impossible to know," he told her, insistently shoving his hand further out. She finally gave up the bottle and hurried a few steps back.

"Oh, Ms. Lovegood, did you think I would just let you go?" The man smirked, casually walking towards her, she panicked and turned to run but the path was blocked by four other men. She took a breathe to scream but it came out in a choke as the first man clamped his fangs into her neck. He pulled back after nearly draining her dry.

"How I love the way a witch's blood tastes," he breathed into her ear before letting her fall to the ground then turned and disappeared into the night.

~~~!~~~

Draco paced Luna's flat restlessly. She was late and she was never late. Finally the door opened just as the sun sunk below the horizon. Luna stumbled in and he caught her, she was shaking heavily, sweat coating her arms, hands and face as he near dragged her to her room. He pulled off her dark sunglasses and gasped, her eyes were a blazing silver, she wiped the sweat from her face.

"I'm dying," she croaked out, Draco blinked down on her, she wrapped her hand tightly around his arm. "You have to leave, now," she told him, staring into his eyes.

"Did you find out what I asked you to find out?" He asked her.

"And damned me to hell for it," she hissed, coughing blood into her hands.

"What happened?" He asked, dreading the answer.

"She's Harry's child. Just as we theorized. That's all I could get out of him," she told him, waving him off.

"They didn't tell you how? Or who the mother...?" Draco trailed off, Luna went into convulsions, her throat issuing choking and gurgling sounds as blood poured from her crimson lips. She looked more alive than he ever remembered her in that instant. Her white face flushed a bright pink color, sweat standing out on her forehead. Slowly her struggles ceased.

"She woke up a vampire. I was the closest living thing so she attacked me, she didn't know what she was doing and the guilt literally killed her. She couldn't live with the thought that she had murdered one of her closest friends. And so now the entire Wizarding world knows that I am not human anymore, that I am a magical creature, I have no rights anymore. Luna deserves to have her work still recognized. You will not ignore her voice just like you will not ignore my Velvet's," Draco told them, looking around at all the people gathered there.

"Thank you Mr. Malfoy," one of the wizards said quietly, dismissing Draco who returned to his seat. Everyone was shocked, stunned at this news. Draco avoided looking at Harry and Hermione. The meeting soon was over and everyone filed out. Hermione grabbed Draco's arm, halting him just outside the room.

"Who do you think you are? Telling everyone..." Hermione trailed off, angry.

"Hermione, let it be. He has a right to tell about what happened," Harry spoke up behind them.

"But you, you're life," Hermione turned to him.

"No, the world deserves to know some things. But nothing more. You want to know what happened so long ago, Malfoy? Well then you have to tell me a few things. What really happened when Luna woke up? And what did happen between you and Hermione?" Harry looked down to his best friend who straightened suddenly.

"Fair trade, I suppose," Draco gestured for them to leave with him.

TBC


	2. It is a She

Hermione stared up at the marble statue. It was old and falling apart but just as beautiful and enchanting as the day it was carved. She wanted to believe that the world wasn't crumbling around her. That she was going to get through this and the war going on around her wasn't as all consuming as Harry thought it to be. She wanted to believe that this last stand was going to turn out alright. That everything was going to be alright, that everything...was going to be fine.

"Hermione, are you coming?" Ron called to her. She nodded and got up, walking out into the early morning sunshine. This was it.

~~~!~~~

Harry paced the length of his house, anxious for a knock on the door. He tried not to shove his nails into his mouth. Finally there was a knock and he threw open the door. Hagrid stood there with a bundle in his arms.

"Is it...alright?" He asked, fear in his voice, Hagrid looked up at him then back on the questing claws waving around below his chin.

"Yes, she's fine, confused but fine," Hagrid pushed past him and into the parlor.

"I want you to take it to a friend of yours. Don't tell me anything about where you put it I don't want anyone to know," Harry explained, following the hulking Groundskeeper.

"What about when everything is over?" Hagrid murmured, running his finger down the cat/human face. Harry wouldn't go near the child.

"I...don't know. I don't think Ginny would understand," he shook his head, sitting down across from them.

"I don' think I understand 'arry. Where did she come from?" Hagrid looked up to Harry who turned away.

"You wouldn't believe me. Just take it away," Harry growled, his head sinking to his chest as he heard Hagrid's chair slide as the giant stood.

"IT is a girl 'arry. A little girl. Your little girl. I thou' you 'ad a care for the magical creatures. I thou' you were decent. I see now you ain't, I see you now you and me shouldn't speak anymore," Hagrid told Harry's back, his voice dead serious.

"But you aren't a magical creature Hagrid," Harry turned to protest but the groundskeeper was already gone out the door into the pouring rain.

~~~!~~~

The present-

"That doesn't explain anything!" Draco sat back, his eyes burning into Harry's. Hermione was seated between them, stiffly drinking a glass of dark red wine.

"I think we're being unkind to Mr. Malfoy, he's explained so much and yet, you haven't explained anything," Hermione looked to her best friend. The raven haired hero looked like he wanted to get up and leave but he couldn't. He couldn't keep it in anymore. And now that every one knew that he had a weremanx as a daughter and she obviously wasn't Ginny's...well it was a good thing he had already left her.

"Fine, fine. We'll start at the beginning then," He sat back with his beer and smirked as he took a deep drink of it. "Remember when I disappeared after Voldemort died? After the war and all the funerals I couldn't stand being around everyone. Ginny and I, we couldn't see eye to eye over how everything happened. She wanted me to become an Auror. She wanted me to run for Minister of Magic for fuck's sake! She wanted me to live up to my fame, to capitalize on it when all I wanted to do was curl up into myself. It felt like a piece of me had died when Voldemort was finally gone, and a piece of me did die," Harry looked up at the two people he has known longer than anyone else.

"She wanted me to be something I wasn't so I left," he growled...

~~~!~~~

Harry stood looking down on the first home he ever knew. The Dursley's were long gone. They had ran after they knew they didn't have to keep him alive anymore. They had shown what kind of cowards they were and did not leave a forwarding address. Pity, he would have enjoyed giving them a piece of his mind now that he wasn't a helpless little boy anymore. He looked out over London and wondered what he was going to do now. He couldn't go back to the wizarding world, at least not right now. He needed time to forget. The horrible memories were too vivid, too real for him. Maybe he should travel, go somewhere that interested him. He bought a plane ticket for Ireland and visited all the cairns and mystical places on the isle. The problem with being magical is that no matter how much he tried to blend in with the endless train of tourists, the magical found him.

"You're Harry Potter," a man spoke up from the dark doorway of a local pub. Harry didn't look up, he was three sheets and needed just a little more Guinness to get up the stairs to his room.

"Hey, I said, You're Harry Potter," the man slammed his huge, calloused hand down next to Harry who didn't even jump.

"I heard you just fine," Harry growled into his pint.

"Then why didn't you say anything?" The man asked, looking down on him.

"Because I don't want to deal with anyone that knows who I am," Harry answered darkly.

"And who are you but a man?" The man pointed out, Harry slowly looked up at the dark man towering over him.

"Who are you?" Harry murmured.

"I am Achin Sheldon. A great supporter of you and your cause. I know that might sound high handed but I am just as I am. I am one of the last of a ancient tribe of peoples that have long been wiped from this world. A trickle of water from what was once a great waterfall," The man explained, sitting down next to the drunken, fallen hero.

"I don't really know what you mean," Harry trailed off, gesturing to the bartender for another.

"You should come to one of our meetings, you might enjoy yourself," Achin smiled knowingly, Harry perked up at this, something told him that this would be different. This would change his whole life and maybe show him something new in the face of destruction. He had been abandoned by his old cause, now that he had restored peace to the wizarding world, what else could he offer anyone? Was he really meant to settle down and produce children, a country domestic life after all the adventure in his childhood?

TBC

**The fun part about a confusing story is straightening it out. ;)


	3. The Legacy of Shapeshifters

Harry found himself seated around a roaring fire in the middle of the dark, magical woods. The people around him seemed straight out of the medieval times, all of them dark and brooding, dangerous and powerful. The woman across from him was ancient. Her white hair flowed around her as she worked the flames higher with just her gnarled hands. Her vibrant, sharp blue eyes glanced at him and he rose. Achin patted his shoulder in encouragement.

"You're meant for this," the tall, dark man told him and lightly pushed him towards the flames. Harry took a deep breathe and slowly stepped into the raging fire. He felt like he was melting, the fire was so intense, grabbing his arms and raising him up. He felt like he was falling and flying at the same time. His body felt pain but his mind was so distant from it as he stared at the myriad of colors. He felt so alive, powerful, real. He cried out as the flames consumed him completely. Slowly the flames died around him and he stood on the festering embers. The tribe cheered around him, he was one of them now. At least for the night.

"Harry," Achin held out his hand, Harry slowly took the offered hand and stepped off of the embers. The fire roared back to life behind him.

"You've passed the first test, I congratulate you," Achin was grinning as he walked Harry over to a man hold a heavy skin of strong ale.

"If the rest of the tests are anything like that, I rise to the challenge!" Harry cried, happy for the first time in his life. He felt like he was proving himself to people that mattered. People that he had to earn their respect instead of having it all handed to him. He drank heavily from the skin and handed it back then turned as lively music started up. He joined the rest of the young men dancing frantically around the bright flames.

~~~!~~~

Harry awoke with a groan that came from deep in his insides. A pounding headache and stomach pains was the only thing that told him it was a good night. He sat up and realized that he was in a gypsy tent. He was staring up at synthetic gray materials. As he sat up, he realized there was a modern heating lamp hanging near him and the covers felt like regular cotton. He looked over and realized a very, very good looking woman was naked next to him. Not only that, he was naked to. He stiffened and instantly dreaded what was about to happen as the woman stirred. She was gorgeous, in fact the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen. Usually when someone got drunk they ended up waking up next to something less than desirable. He felt like he had broken some law in drunkenly picking the prettiest creature instead of a drunken pity fuck.

"Morning," she murmured, her voice even sounded like silk.

"M-morning," he stammered, she looked up at him with an appreciative smirk.

"Do you even remember what happened last night?" She asked, her mysterious cobalt blue eyes stared up at him curiously.

"No...not really," he mused, trying to figure everything out.

"You gave me what I wanted. But I wont hinder your progress. Please, proceed among the weremanxi. You are a very good candidate," she gestured to the outside world.

"I don't even know your name," he exasperated.

"Eliva," she answered, getting up and covering herself.

"Aren't you...concerned?" He asked.

"You are the only one with a conscious here Harry. Potter." She looked deeply into his eyes.

"But..." he started.

"You will never see me again Harry. Someday you might remember how deeply you loved me but now...now we have to accept what's happened. I think it's time for you to stop fantasizing that you're one of us," she gestured for him to leave. He got up, got dressed and left.

~~~!~~~

The Present.

"So she just threw you away," Draco spoke up, his eyes burning into Harry's.

"No, I remember...I remember everything. She didn't throw me away. We are soul mates locked into the fact that this is not our time. We have to endure this life as it is, we have to wait until the cycle turns back around so we can live a happy life together. That doesn't really help your situation. You have yet to explain yourself," Harry smirked as Hermione and Draco exchanged a very heavy glance.

~~~!~~~

A Year After The War...

Hermione walked down to the banks of the flowing river. She was waiting for someone but the problem was, she didn't know who her contact was. She didn't know anything. The Ministry was being very cryptic on her latest assignment. She felt like this was a set up to see how she would do in unusual circumstances but she was confident in her abilities so it would be useless to dwell on it.

"Lady Granger, pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Arthur Bagswell," a man came hurrying out of the underbrush behind her, his hand outstretched. His floppy amber hair thinning and he had a potbelly. There was a twinkle in his knowing blue eyes and his smile was kind if he did seem like he had been drinking heavily most of his adult life.

"Mr. Bagswell, I understand that you have something for me?" She turned and shook his offered hand.

"Of course, of course. I have it back at my house, if you would be so kind as to follow me?" He gestured to lead her back the way he had come. She nodded and he started off.

"Forgive me on the strange meeting place but I couldn't risk you getting caught up with the locals. You know how you can't trust anyone these days what with the many Deatheaters roaming around," Bagswell grinned back in her direction before taking a very indirect line back to his residence.

"Can't ever be too careful," she replied, taking in her surroundings. It was a dark forest, not all together scary but not a place she would want to get caught in when it got dark.

"My dear, have you gone to the last Chudley Cannons game? They really were amazing," and he went off on describing all the different plays leading up to their spectacular defeat. Finally they arrived at a small cottage with ducks and a couple sheep in the yard.

"My wife, Elena isn't home just yet, she's gone down to the store for a few things," Arthur explained as he opened his house to her and seated her comfortably in the front parlor.

"Excuse the mess, we were expecting you later on tonight," Arthur went off to the kitchen. "Tea?"

"Please and thank you," she answered, he nodded and disappeared. She looked around at the cozy little room with flowering wallpaper and overstuffed furniture. It all seemed ordinary enough. Suddenly there was a bright green flash and a bang. She instantly got up, her wand in her hand as she moved to the wall leading into the dining room. She poked her head around and didn't see anymore. As she snuck closer to the kitchen, she realized that there was no sound coming from anywhere. Not even breathing besides her own calm intakes. She stopped in the doorway leading to the kitchen. Arthur Bagswell was face up on the floor, dead. The bang had come from the kettle that had fallen to the ground beside him. She looked up but the backdoor was still closed and locked from the inside.

"If you're in this house still, you should show yourself," she called out, looking around before moving on to the hallway leading up to the back stair case. "You can not hide from me," she shouted, casting several protection spells while she went. She searched the entire house, including the basement but found no one. It was like Mr. Bagswell had killed himself. She sent out a small speedy owl with a note describing her situation and waited for the investigators to arrive. Mrs. Bagswell unfortunately beat the team.

"Lady Granger, why we weren't expecting you until later!" Mrs. Elena Bagswell was walking slowly up the street as Hermione waited in the front yard. She had caste a stasis spell along with a locking spell so no one could get in or out of the house, just in case she had missed anything or if the supposed attacker came back.

"Mrs. Bagswell, I'm sorry to have to inform you of the situation but as your husband went to make tea...well he's dead. I'm sorry but the investigators will be arriving soon to sort everything out. Is there a place you could stay while the investigation commences?" Hermione asked, the woman looked shocked and numb. The war had taken many of her friends so she was used to death but she never thought it would take her husband even after it was over. She had blubbered all this into Hermione's shoulder as the tall woman rocked her slowly. The team was just arriving but she couldn't tear herself away from the distraught woman.

"I'm sorry inspector, as you can see I have pressing matters to attend to. Let me get her to a safe place and I'll return to help you," she called to the lead inspector as he walked around the building. He nodded and waved her off. She led the woman away to a neighbor's house.

As Hermione returned, she realized that the entire was inside the house. That was strange, usually they left many people outside to ward off any of the curious onlookers but there wasn't even that. It was like it was before anything had happened. She walked in to the lead inspector rubbing his chin in deep thought in the front parlor.

"Auror Granger, I was waiting for you. Please come with me back to the Ministry, we must hear your report," he explained, turning and leading her back out of the house.

"But where's the rest of the team?" Hermione protested.

"They're all already back at the Ministry. Don't worry Ms. Granger, we have everything taken care of," he explained before apparating them back to the Ministry.

~~~!~~~

"What happened in that house Minister Shacklebolt? No one will give me any answers," Hermione was upset but holding herself together. She had witnessed something in that house and no one knew anything about it. The investigation was closed and when she went back to the house, it was abandoned and Mrs. Bagswell was no where to be found.

"I understand your concern Ms. Granger but Mr. Bagswell was a spy for the Deatheaters. We have taken Mrs. Bagswell into protective custody and are working on flushing out the person or persons responsible for Mr. Bagswell's death," Shacklebolt explained as he sat aside a few documents he was signing.

"So why all of the secrecy, especially from me?" She tried to remain calm but something was very off. The Minister was very stiff and uncomfortable, more so than she'd ever seen him before. He slowly looked up into her face and took a deep breathe.

"Ms. Granger, due to your past heroism during the war and your work here at the Ministry, I have a profound respect for you. As you know from past experiences, strange circumstances have been at every assignment we have tasked you with. Remember when you went with Auror Finnegan to flush out a couple of Deatheaters in Knockturn Alley? They both mysteriously died in the shop before the two of you even arrived. When we sent you and Auror Weasley to Wales to investigate something as simple as illegal Dragon Egg trading and bodies piled up there. You must understand that these are very unusual circumstances," the Minister explained. She slowly sat down and looked up at him.

"What are you saying, Minister?" She breathed, a cold ache developing in her chest.

"I'm only explaining that the Ministry has decided to put you on suspension until we ourselves have concrete answers. All the inspectors following up on your cases find nothing amiss with you but the coincidences are staggering. We cannot ignore them," he answered, she took a deep breathe and let it out, looking up at him.

"You suspect me of something...devious, Minister? I thought dead Deatheaters were a good thing," she pointed out in a strong but rational voice.

"If you had personally killed them or known how they died, then yes, it is a good thing. But it seems as though you have a strange...guardian that has better intelligence of the Deatheaters than we do and has been eliminating any danger we send you into. This unknown benefactor has thwarted our best spies and that concerns me Ms. Granger. I have no idea if this person is playing with you in order to eventually get rid of you or is actually protecting you. I can not have an unknown danger to one of my most valuable Aurors," Shacklebolt reasonably spelled out. She nodded, trying to think past her rising emotions. Something was happening, she couldn't deny that.

"Shouldn't I be allowed to help the investigation, Minister? Shouldn't I be allowed to-" she started to argue.

"No, my dear, this person is too dangerous for you to go after. We must protect you at all cost," he cut her off, she snapped her eyes back up at the Minister.

"In alignment to what you've just told me, Minister, it seems this unknown person has been protecting me even more than you ever could," she stood up. "I will not allow myself to be treated like a damsel in distress. I believed I had the correct abilities to put myself in danger to protect others yet I see that everyone is running around trying to protect me. I don't need your help, Minister or the help of this unknown figure. I will get to the bottom of this, good day to you Sire," she turned to leave.

"Ms. Granger, do not forget which side you are on," Shacklebolt called to her back, she froze, a frown deeply set on her face.

"And I would give the same advice to you, Sire," she hissed before slamming the door behind her.

~~~!~~~

**Don't worry, we'll be getting to the Draco/Hermione part soon enough...


	4. Seven Bells of Fortune

Hermione stared up at the huge stone rams lining the entrance to the temple at Karnak. She was awestruck by the beauty of the temple. It had so much to offer and it was beyond words in how to describe the raw magic she felt coming off the very stones. Luna and her team were further out into the raw desert, surveying a digsite of another ancient temple close to Luxor. Malfoy had decided to visit the famous temple before heading off into the sifting sands.

"It's strange that so much mystery still lies all over this place. Even with all that we know. The secret world of magic is open to us yet this, all this is still unexplainable, even to us," she breathed as Malfoy walked up next to her, Velvet quietly taking in the scenery, even this rowdy baby was solemn and well behaved among the ancient reverently carve pillars. The muggle tourists only slightly ruined the quiet benevolence of the place. Their incessant snapping of pictures and loud talking. The constant stream of tour guides explaining the long known history of the temple. She wandered deeper into the public museum and curiously looked at each of the different exhibits on display.

"I'm sure Ms. Lovegood will have a different take on events when we get to her. From the few publications she's produced from her studies of Luxor and Karnak, she has a very different view of the Egyptians," Draco murmured, following along after her.

"I hadn't really kept up with Luna. I've been so wrapped up with everything back home. I didn't even know she was writing articles," Hermione shrugged, crossing her arms as she curiously stared at a stone scarab perched on a low block of stone, his face was worn away but he looked so lonely there. Like he was waiting for someone to come back.

"She's been writing a great deal of articles. About the rights of magical creatures. She believes that these beings deserve just as much writes as we do and to ignore them have only hindered our progress. As you might have noticed, Britain's magical community hasn't progressed very far passed the Industrial age," Draco explained, she spun around to look up at him.

"Malfoy, I didn't know you were even aware of what goes on in the muggle world," Hermione gasped, he smirked and hefted Velvet higher in his arms.

"I'm not stupid nor have I ever been. Once the war was over and I didn't have school to occupy my time, I found that I still had an insatiable need to research things, know things. I realized that I was limiting myself greatly by just sticking with the European Wizarding community," he answered, he turned to coddle Velvet as she started to fuss in his arms. She looked at him in a dumbstruck manner.

"I never thought I'd hear you say something like," she told him, he looked up at her with a concerned expression.

"A little advice there Granger, I would close my mouth before a bug flies into it," he smirked at her in that snarky way he used to when they were growing up. It was smug and aggravating, just as much as it used to be but she found that there was no malice behind his expression or hate, just a simple smugness that he had gotten one over on her. She couldn't help but shake her head and turn away, trying not to over analyze the conversation. He was growing up, finding out new things. She had grown up also but she had been so locked into cleaning up Europe after the war that it never entered her head to return to her studies and that made her sad. She so did love to learn and she really had been neglecting that basic drive inside of her. She found that it had atrophied and nearly died inside of her but now that she was out here, among all the mystery of Egypt, the feelings of learning and knowledge was returning with a vengeance.

Luna waved at them dreamily as they got out out of the range rover. Tents lined the scenery to cover their digs while other vehicles and workers industrially moved back and forth. Luna's long silver hair was barely covered by a black veil and she was dressed in free forming black linen. Hermione envied the light, breathable fabric to her own white blouse and khakhi pants. She felt like she dying in the heavy morning heat and it wasn't near what it would eventually heat up to. She dreaded being out here at that time but it couldn't be helped. Draco had left Velvet with a trusted caretaker of the hotel. Draco had renewed the glamour on the little one and handed her over slowly. Hermione was touched and surprised by the very real attachment he had to the girl, she couldn't overlap the uncaring, cowardly boy she had grown up with to the young, caring father she saw before him that was more than a little overprotective of Velvet.

"Hermione, I wasn't expecting you to join us," Luna's voice was deeper than she remembered and there was a sharp intelligence behind it that she had never seen before. It was like talking to somebody she had never met before but at the same time knew very well for Luna had fought the war with them. She was struck again by how much a couple years could change a person.

"Well, I was curious about your work as well," she lamely answered, she really didn't know why she had tagged along herself. She could have easily waited for Draco to return before enlisting his help in finding this benevolent guardian. It wasn't like this person was harming her, just making it impossible to do her job. But she found that with Draco being a civil companion and Egypt rousing her deepest curiosities, she couldn't just trudge home to wait idly by.

"Yes, it is fascinating," she turned to survey the sifting sand surrounding them.

"Come, I have something to show you both," she murmured before walking gracefully off towards one of the tents, Draco shrugged and followed after her, Hermione shook her head good naturedly, bringing up the rear. They entered the tent and Luna produced her wand, moving a wide, expensive tapestry to the side and whispering a complicated phrase to unlock the door that stood behind it.

"The Muggles do not know of this place. They wouldn't understand it," she explained as they looked at her curiously. She gestured for them to follow as she lit her wand and stepped into the cavernous place beyond. Hermione and Draco also lit their wands and followed, Hermione closing the door behind her. It was amazing, they were stepping down a long corridor, the walls covered in tiny heiroglyphs. There were so many characters and scenes that she wondered if they talked about the entire universe for it seemed to go on about everything. The scenes depicted so much, people at work with cattle, grain, daily life and then rituals with gods and goddesses, morphing into strange scenes that she could only describe as people doing magic. People morphing into animals of all kinds and changing back. Others dueling with strange looking wands. She felt overwhelmed at what she was seeing.

"The ancient Egyptians were open about their magic to the non-magical populace. They didn't have a dividing line like we do today," Luna's dreamy voice floated back to her. "That's why it's impossible to cover up all the monuments. The scholars and muggle academia don't have an explanation for what goes on here but the non-magical mind just writes it off as miracles they'll eventually explain with their science. They all believe that if they search long and hard enough they would find a logical explanation to everything here," she produced a small vial that glowed brightly, lighting up the entire hall they found themselves in. They were so deep underground that the walls and pillars disappeared into darkness somewhere limitlessly above them. The hall itself was magnificent, filled with statues and sculptures. Humans mostly but also of all sorts of animals. Then there were the half animal, half humans that she had associated with the Egyptian pantheon.

"I find it interesting in some of their wild theories, some of them make startling sense but the non-magical mind still shies away from the true magic in the world," Luna heaved a deep sigh and continued on down a row of stone pharaohs, they towered above them, looking down on them with their blank stone gazes.

"What is this place Luna?" Hermione asked softly, afraid to break the dreamy awe that only Luna's voice seemed to blend well with.

"This is a depository. The ancient Egyptians feared the Romans and the rising tide of the Christian world. They knew that the magical line of Pharaohs were drawing to a close. The Romans detested magic and so sought to drive the magic out of Egypt. The magical ones brought some of their greatest magics here to be saved from what was to come," Luna answered.

"How do you know all that?" Draco spoke up.

"Up ahead," they finally reached a huge double stone door that looked like it had been carved just yesterday. The scene on it depicted a warrior pharaoh and his beautiful queen standing defiantly against the Roman invasion.

"I thought Cleopatra was the last pharaoh," Hermione murmured.

"She was a half-blood. The Egyptians had long lost their hold by then and the division was already set. She was the last of the pharaohs, true but the true magic of the Egyptian magics had long been hidden away," Luna explained quietly as her eyes traced the scene. She lightly pushed on the doors and they swung in easily. Behind them lay wonders they had never seen before. Books, bound parchment, scrolls and stone tablets went on for what seemed like forever.

"Welcome to the Library of Alexandria," Luna grinned, her arms stretched wide as Hermione ventured forth, a look of pure reverence on her face, the tall stone carved book shelves stood over ten feet high. Each stone book shelf had a person or Egyptian god carved into the ends.

"I thought the Library at Alexandria was burnt down," Draco looked to Luna, she shrugged in return.

"I can't say how all it managed its way down here but none the less, it's all here. I've managed to discover that the library had been added to up until the 12th century. I'm sure that's when one of the remaining Isis cults ended up sealing it away for good. There's more depositories like this one scattered around Egypt but this is the only one I've found that's had recent additions. All the others I've found are from the Golden age or older," she explained.

"How can all this be possible?" Hermione shouted, further down the main row before them and she still felt like she had miles to go before she hit the other side.

"I thought you were interested in my work, Hermione," Luna called back as the woman started back towards them.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked as she got closer.

"Human history is much older than your muggle textbooks claim. And the European Wizarding doctrine starts during the Viking Age but only describes oral magics dealing heavily with elaborate rituals in order to placate the non-magical beings they were working for. In order to make the muggles fear us not to kill us or rise up against us. I believe that's because the modern witch and wizard in Europe is cut off from the older magics because of such things as the Inquisitions and the rise of Christian doctrine that fully-" Luna started rambling but Hermione held up her hand to silence her.

"So what you're saying is that there was a dividing line that happened between the rest of the world and Europe?" Hermione clarified.

"Essentially. The Asian countries have their own magical schools as do the Americas and Egypt but doesn't it seem strange that we only allow a few schools to intermingle with our own Hogwarts? During the Triwizard Tournament we had the french and the northern part of Europe, no one else. Makes you think what's going on outside of us," Luna raised an eye brow up at Hermione.

"So what is going on?" Hermione crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well in Egypt there's a school that's based off of Hogwarts. It was only started during the 15th and 16th century when many scholars came over to Egypt from Europe. The Renaissance was blossoming and magic was becoming more accepted instead of hunted. People started having open minds again and we were allowed to build a school in Cairo. Before that there were roaming tribes across Egypt that were magical. Now the tribes have somewhere to go and unite. Russia as you know has had a long history of repression and wars, only recently have they managed to rebuild their own magical school. The Americas are my favorite," Luna let a smile grace her features. "That's where I was able to hook up with these scholars I'm working with now. A couple of them have gone through the magical school in the US but their knowledge is very rudimentary compared to our own. We have the tomes there in front of us, ancient texts in the library but the magical school in America has only copies. They unfortunately are hard to deal with at times but all of them are more open minded than any of the battle scarred witches and wizards I've met in Europe. War has damaged our country and we must catch up Hermione," Luna explained.

"So no one was able to keep an unbroken line?" Hermione murmured, Luna shook her head sadly.

"The closest I can find is this place. I only recently found it and it was all by pure...well I shouldn't say pure accident. Things happen for a reason you know," Luna looked out on the vast amount of knowledge.

Present-

"So she found the Library of Alexandria," Harry murmured quietly.

"It was wonderful Harry, you should really go. Luna managed to find funding from a couple of families back here and from the Americans and there's a whole foundation and private school dedicated to her work," Hermione explained excitedly.

"Why didn't you tell me about all of that?" Harry asked, looking between them.

"Harry, you really haven't been yourself since you got back from your travels. It's always been a little hard talking to you," Hermione replied cautiously.

"I haven't been very trusting even with you, have I?" Harry mused.

"Something more happened with that Weremanxi tribe, didn't it?" Draco spoke up.

"It was bad..." Harry's voice was full of pain.

The Past-

"You should leave," Achin advised.

"Why?" Harry asked, they were in the pub they first met in.

"You should not have taken Eliva, she is Rhia's daughter," Achin explained.

"The old Seer?" Harry frowned up at his friend.

"She's more than a Seer, she is our tribal leader. Eliva is meant to be our next leader and now she is no longer pure. Her powers are gone," Achin explained.

"I didn't know-" Harry started.

"How could you? You're an outsider. They told me not to trust anyone outside of the tribe," Achin sighed, he looked lost.

"You sound like they did something to you," Harry guessed.

"They threw me out of the tribe. I'm alone now," Achin sounded tired, defeated.

"How could they do that?" Harry asked.

"Easy, they told me to go and never come back. But it's not like I was born one of them. I never really belonged to begin with, I thought I could bring you in with me, that we could understand the tribe and their secrets together but they never fully trusted me. Rhia only tolerated me because she knew that I wouldn't do anything stupid," Achin sighed.

"Like get drunk and sleep with her daughter?" Harry pointed out, Achin couldn't help the smile spreading over his face.

"It's not funny," Achin chuckled, Harry joined him.

"We don't need a tribe to stick together," Harry offered, Achin shrugged.

"I guess," Achin gave a noncommittal shrug.

"It'll be fun, traveling around Europe, looking for whatever comes along," Harry trailed off.

"For a while, I need a change of scenery. This place is too painful right now, too many memories," Achin answered.

"Then it's settled, we'll leave for somewhere else tomorrow. Buy the first plane ticket out of here," Harry raised his beer to Achin's. They toasted and continued to drink late into the night.


	5. The Dragon Casts a Long Shadow

Harry sighed and waited for Hermione to show up. They had decided to meet up at a muggle coffee shop in London. It was hard convincing Draco to venture out but in the end Harry couldn't stand talking about his past where just any witch or wizard could hear about his most private secrets. He trusted Hermione explicitly but Draco, well he owed him. Draco had raised his daughter and hadn't even once mentioned it. That was more than he could say about Ginny. With Albus, James and Lily, he took care of his children. She was too distraught by their crumbled marriage to take care of even herself. She had moved back in with her mother and that was that. Harry rebuilt Godric's Hollow and raised his three children. James and Albus were in school while Lily was about to start her first year. He had a nurse/housekeeper, an ancient kindly witch that he had found in the paper who lived with them and took care of the basics. He had once thought that he could live in 12 Grimmauld Pl but it held too many memories, the Order no longer gathered there and he couldn't stand Kreacher. So he allowed the old house elf to keep it in relatively working order and only visited occasionally when he wanted to be closer to Sirius.

He sat down at a comfortable booth towards the back and fidgeted idly, hoping that Hermione would show up before Draco did. He was still uncomfortable around the elegant, wealthy man and he definitely didn't want to answer any questions. Suddenly someone cleared their throat above him and looked up at the waitress waiting patiently. He smiled up at her and ordered as Draco walked in the door. His sharp, intelligent silver eyes scanning the crowd before narrowing in on him. Draco was dressed in a stylish black cashmere sweater and designer jeans with expensive black loafers. Harry was surprised that the pureblood even made the effort of fitting in with the muggles around him. The waitress stepped back to allow Draco to sit down across from him. She then took his order and disappeared.

"Hoping that 'Mione would show up first?" Draco assessed the other's pinched face.

"'Mione? I didn't think you were that close," Harry sneered, trying to cover up his nervousness.

"Why not? We spent three years dating, I would think that anyone would be pretty close after that," Draco answered, Harry felt his jaw drop open at the offhand remark. And here he thought he was going to have to drag it out of one of them with an Unforgivable. He never imagined that Draco would be so open about something so uncharacteristic.

"So what happened?" Harry asked immediately feeling like a gossip as soon as the words left his mouth. Draco gave him a sharp look as Hermione walked up to them. She scooted in next to Draco and pulled her purse off her shoulder. Harry looked between the two and instantly saw what he had missed before, they really had dated. They were comfortable around each other, very comfortable. There was no personal space between them, they seemed like they fit each other easily. Hermione complimented Draco's starkness and Draco complimented Hermione's sharp intelligence. They were perfect equals and Harry caught himself envying their ability to fit together so well.

"Hope I'm not too late," Hermione apologized as she gestured for the waitress to come back.

"Right on time," Draco replied, his eyes lingering on her, she was turned away so she didn't notice his intense gaze. Harry tilted his head in silent question as Draco glanced over at him.

"So you were about to tell us what happened with Achin," Draco ignored Harry's silent plea.

"Oh no, it's your turn," Harry sat back, Hermione took a deep breathe and let it out. Harry noticed her hands fidgeting with the corner of her purse, Hermione never fidgeted.

"What else do you want to know?" Hermione asked.

"I told him Hermione," Draco spoke up, a deep blush spread across her smooth pale cheeks at his words, Harry raised his ebony eyebrows at that.

"You mean you didn't want me to know?" Harry asked quietly.

"You've never been very civil when it came to Draco," Hermione trailed off, he frowned in puzzlement. "Remember when I came back from Egypt?" Hermione reminded him of when she showed back up at the Ministry all those years ago...

Past-

Hermione tightly clamped onto her wand as she stared at the Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt stared back just as intently. She wanted to explain her actions but she couldn't. The door flew open and in walked Harry and his partner Neville Longbottom. Neville had talked about resigning his position at the Ministry to work for Hogwarts but nothing was final just yet.

"Hermione, I didn't know you were back," Harry looked surprised to see her there.

"Yes, I just returned this morning," Hermione replied, standing up sharply.

"We will continue this discussion later Ms. Granger," Shacklebolt dismissed her.

"Yes sir," Hermione acknowledged and left. She walked out to her desk and sat down, it looked untouched and that left her feeling empty. She didn't want to be here anymore. She felt like she wasn't living up to her potential and that being an Auror just wasn't for her anymore. She felt like she was being forced into a position that was expected of her as Harry Potter's best friend but ultimately she didn't want this. She looked around at all the hot shot Aurors lounging around the different desks. As Head Auror, Harry had his own office with a window and a door that opened out onto the rest of them. She felt like she didn't belong here anymore, people looked at her like she was just an outsider, a place holder.

"You look deep in thought," Harry rapped on the top of her desk to get her attention, she looked up at him.

"I was wondering what I was still doing here," Hermione responded, Harry gave her a funny look.

"You received an assignment that I wasn't aware of?" Harry asked.

"No, I don't think I'm right for this job," Hermione clarified.

"I wouldn't say that too loud or Ron will over hear and have a shit fit," Harry looked over at the referred to redhead. He was buried in paperwork that he had neglected to file from past cases and the clerks had finally forced him to sit down and do it. Hermione was surprised the whole messy pile didn't go up in flames from the frustration emanating from him. She sighed and looked back up at her other best friend.

"Is this really what you want to do with the rest of your life?" Hermione asked.

"Granger! Report to my office, you still have some explaining to do," Shacklebolt's voice reverberated around the room, disturbing everyone. Ron growled menacingly from having his shakey concentration disrupted.

"Gotta go," Hermione got up and walked back up to the Minister's office, this time Harry went with her, a concerned look on his face.

"Where did you go Ms. Granger?" Shacklebolt finally asked the one question she had dreaded answering and this time Harry was right next to her to hear it.

"I went to Egypt," Hermione's clipped tone betrayed her nervousness.

"And who did you meet there?" Shacklebolt continued, his intense dark eyes drilling up into hers.

"Sir-" Hermione started, her voice high.

"Answer the question Auror," Harry spoke up in a no nonsense voice, Hermione cleared her throat and shifted her weight around in her chair.

"Luna Lovegood," Hermione answered, the Minister frowned darkly.

"That's not all is it," Shacklebolt growled.

"And Draco Malfoy," Hermione finally answered, leaning back with her arms crossed. Sacklebolt looked liked he knew exactly what her answer would be which put her on edge.

"What?" Harry spoke up next to her, a cold feeling made her stomach clench as she looked up at Harry's towering figure. He looked angry, no he looked furious.

"I needed answers-" Hermione started.

"So you ran to a Death Eater?! Are you insane? He could have killed you and we would have no way of knowing until days later!" Harry shouted at her, she caught herself from responding. They were in front of the Minister and it wouldn't be wise to undermine your boss in front of his boss no matter how close of friends they were.

"I believe Ms. Granger knew the risks to her actions Mr. Potter," Shacklebolt murmured, Harry rounded on him but stopped short at the forbidding look on the older man's face.

"I don't believe this, Hermione I want you in my office after you have completed this interview," Harry snarled before turning and stalking off. Hermione swallowed and returned her gaze back to the Minister.

"You understand that Mr. Potter is your immediate supervisor and has the right to respond to this situation any way he chooses," Shacklebolt reminded her calmly.

"I understand Sir," Hermione murmured, her hands shaking. She clasped them tightly together and drew herself up straighter in her seat.

"Good, I'll allow him to take care of this matter but I would like to know what you did in Egypt. You were gone a long time," Shacklebolt asked. Hermione proceeded to explain how Luna had discovered the Library of Alexandria and how she could barely tear herself away from all that ancient knowledge. She had spent the rest of her time buried in tome after tome, it had rekindled her passion for learning and how she wished she could have stayed.

"Why did you come back?" Shacklebolt asked, Hermione looked to the door Harry had stormed out of.

"I don't really know. I think it had something to do with my loyalty to my friends," it sounded like a weak, unsure answer even to her own ears.

"If I could explain something to you Ms. Granger," Shacklebolt leaned forward and she looked back at him.

"Of course Sir," Hermione replied.

"There will always be a place for you to work here Hermione and it doesn't have to be with the Aurors," Shacklebolt answered, leaning back into his chair and waving her out.

"Thank you Sir," Hermione stood and went to the door.

"Oh and Ms. Granger?" Shacklebolt called as she opened the door.

"Yes Sir?" Hermione turned.

"I hope things work out for you," he told her with a wink, she felt a blush run over cheeks as she nodded and exited his office.

Present-

"You wouldn't listen to me," Hermione explained as she finished the story, Harry sighed and leaned back, their orders had arrived a while ago.

"I was pretty authoritarian back then," Harry replied, Draco raised a thin eyebrow.

"Big word there Potter," Draco pointed out, Harry shook his head and took a sip of his coffee.

"I'm not stupid Draco," Harry grumbled into his cup.

"Yeah but you have been chasing bad guys for the last decade. Criminals aren't known for their large vocabulary," Draco pointed out.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me," Harry replied, looking up at the other.

"Then by all means, enlighten me," Draco spread his nimble hands.

"What else do you want to know?" Harry shot back, he didn't want to just dump his entire life out for the wealthy brat, he knew better.

"Well let's start with what happened with Achin, when did everything go bad?" Draco asked, Harry shook his head and leaned back.

"Achin and I became great friends really fast and then the full moon happened..."

Past-

Harry stood staring out at the cold darkness outside the happy glow of the small inn they was procured for the night. It was too quiet out in the surrounding woods, like the whole world was holding its breathe for something to happen. He looked over as the door opened and Achin joined him.

"Got tired of Melissa?" Achin was referring to a pretty girl that had been hanging all over him in the inn's bar earlier.

"She's not my type," Harry murmured, his type was untamable and stubborn which was both Ginny and Eliva.

"Quit pinning after her, you're never going to see her again," Achin finally spoke his thoughts, Harry frowned over at him.

"How do you know that? Have a magic crystal ball or something?" Harry responded.

"She's your soul mate but you're destined to not see her again until your next life. Don't you know anything about Weremanxi?" Achin pointed out, Harry puzzled over the unfamiliar word.

"What's that?" He finally asked, Achin looked at him like he had just blurted out the most shocking thing in the world.

"You mean you don't know what you are?" Achin breathed.

"I'm not a...what did you say?" Harry trailed off.

"No, you're not a Were-creature but you do have magical creature blood in you, didn't you know? That's why I invited you into the tribe in the first place. I thought you had control over it..." Achin shook his head.

"I do, I think," Harry protested, Achin glanced at the full moon that was just about to rise, he looked nervous suddenly.

"You don't know," Achin breathed like that made all the sense in the world.

"What aren't you telling me?" Harry demanded, squaring off against the taller, bigger man.

"You have no idea what you really are, do you?" Achin looked back at him like he was seeing him for the very first time.

"I don't know what you're talking about at all," Harry shook his, suddenly very unsure of himself.

"It's not my place, I had thought we could share this full moon celebration but I was wrong. I should leave," Achin turned to walk out into the forest.

"Leave? Wait, I still want answers and you seem like the only one that can give them to me," Harry chased after him.

"I'm sorry Harry, I was so stupid. I thought you knew," Achin shook his head mournfully.

"Then tell me," Harry grabbed Achin's arm and tried to yank him to a stop but Achin suddenly spun on him and bared his long sharp teeth at him. Harry was so startled that he jumped back instantly.

"It was a mistake to come with you," Achin's voice was rougher, lower and sounded strangely like a cat.

"You can't leave-" Harry started towards him again but Achin lashed out with his hands that had morphed into long claws.

"Stay away from me," Achin shouted at him and dashed off into the woods at a speed that was inhuman. Harry couldn't even track which way he had gone. Finally he gave up and stumbled back to the inn, by that time it was early morning and he was exhausted. He gave one last glance up at the full moon and went to bed. He never saw Achin again.

Present-

"Did you find out anything since then?" Draco asked quietly, Harry gave him an almost hateful glare.

"No, I have no clue to this day what Achin was talking about. Wizards are rather discriminatory towards magical creatures if you hadn't noticed," Harry growled lowly in return.

"Tell me about it," Draco grumbled, Harry stared at him for a moment.

"How did you hide it, being a vampire and all?" Harry asked.

"The legends aren't all true, if you're a wizard you can brew certain potions to counteract the more...dangerous parts of the disease such as the allergy to sunlight, garlic and holy items," Draco answered Harry's question.

"Like with the Were's, you can be mostly human once more," Harry murmured.

"Draco has never killed anyone Harry, he's been trying to figure out a cure for it," Hermione explained.

"And you have been helping him," Harry observed, looking between them.

"How could I not?" Hermione breathed, looking sad.

"It was Luna wasn't it?" Harry guess, they nodded and looked down.

"She was so...vital to everything. Her work, her life, her personality," Draco replied.

"You are so different than you used to be. Do you realize that? Luna Lovegood was a nutcase in school and she turned out to be right about everything. And now, now you're telling me that she managed to bring you two together," Harry extrapolated from the holes in what they weren't saying. Draco rolled his shoulders and leaned back as Hermione just stared at him.

"Scorpius-"Hermione started.

"I don't want to hear it," Harry shook his head, holding up his hand.

"He's mine Harry," Hermione breathed, Harry glared back at her.

"You told everyone that your son was a product of a failed marriage," Harry looked to Draco, quoting straight from the tabloid section of the Daily Prophet, Draco gave him a sardonic look.

"Hermione didn't want the entire wizarding world to know she had an illegitimate child with me," Draco sounded hurt which raised Harry's interests.

"So what happened?" Harry repeated his earlier question, this time he really wanted straight answers, Hermione sighed and began the story...

Past-

Hermione returned to Egypt after the fall out with Harry and resigned at the Ministry. She set up a small flat in Cairo near the museum where Luna had set up an office. She was well respected by the other archeologists and scholars that lived in the city but she was constantly going deep into the shifting sands to look for more undiscovered sites. She was so wrapped up in her work that even Hermione rarely saw her. She had been hired on as project manager of the Library of Alexandria and had started setting up plans for a building to be built on top of it, to protect the entrance. She turned around one day and there was Draco Malfoy with his daughter clinging to his fingers. She looked like a cute little doll and had finally managed to shift into a complete human form.

"I'm sorry I didn't owl you to tell you I was coming but I can't find Luna and I'm worried," Draco explained, Hermione frowned in thought before kneeling down to eye level with Velvet, her big green eyes staring back at her with curiosity.

"She's growing so fast," Hermione reached out and lightly touched a silk black curl.

"Weremanxi have to, I think it has something to do with the cat genes but she's getting better and better at changing into human form. Velvet, why don't you go sit in that chair over there while Hermione and I talk, alright?" Draco instructed, the little girl nodded and hurried over to a low chair and climbing delicately onto it, she wore a ruffled chocolate brown dress with cream lace and a matching ribbon in her hair.

"So Luna, last time I talked to her she was talking about going further south but was waiting on the papers to come back from the Sudanese government," Hermione answered, straightening up.

"The papers went through and she did go to Sudan but her trail goes cold after that, doesn't she keep records here of her plans?" Draco asked.

"Why do you need to get hold of her so badly? You haven't been back for a good six months," Hermione murmured.

"She said she had some more information on Velvet's tribe. She had contacted a gypsy in Ireland that had finally responded to her inquiries and was trying to set up a meeting for us but then she went to Sudan. That was a week ago, she would have responded to my owl by now, she never takes this long," Draco explained, sincerely worried.

"If I didn't know better, I would think you really cared about her," Hermione turned to her desk.

"She's a good friend, the only one I have actually," Draco replied, Hermione looked back at him but didn't see any sort of deception.

"What about your pureblood friends?" She asked as she sat down, rummaging through the piles of paperwork.

"They aren't real friends, they're just people that deal with me out of obligation because I'm a Malfoy," Draco sounded bitter as he waited for her to pull up Luna's plans for her expedition south.

"Daddy!" Velvet screamed suddenly, getting up on the chair and pointed, he whipped around so fast that Hermione was surprised. He picked her up immediately with his wand pointed at the scorpion crawling towards them. He vanished it and put away his wand as he tried to calm his sobbing daughter.

"She's talking already?" Hermione sat back in her chair.

"She can only say a few but she understands perfectly, she's so smart," Draco answered, smiling down on his little girl.

"That's astonishing," Hermione breathed before shaking her head out of her shock and returning to digging.

"Velvet will be the smartest witch of her age," Draco proudly announced as Velvet leaned her head on his chest.

"Witch?" Hermione raised an eyebrow up at him.

"Of course I don't know for sure but I have hope," Draco replied, Hermione nodded and pulled out the letter Luna had sent her before leaving. It detailed the areas Luna had wanted to poke around in.

"She's probably deep underground," Hermione murmured, looking over the detailed map Luna had drawn on a separate parchment.

"For this long?" Draco walked over to look over the map also.

"You're right, there is something going on," Hermione finally admitted, setting the papers down.

"Well then, time for me to go investigate," Draco held his hand out for the letter.

"I'm coming with you," Hermione insisted, standing up and gathering the letter before he could grab it from her.

"Nonsense, you aren't putting yourself in danger," Draco tried to take the papers from her but she moved back.

"She's my friend to and I'm going with you," her voice was deadly final.

"You'd be better off here, I don't know what I'll find down there. I'm leaving Velvet here with a caretaker," he explained, holding his hand out for the letter.

"Why don't you want me to go with you, really?" Hermione asked, folding her arms over her chest, he looked uncomfortable suddenly.

"I just...I-" for the first time that Hermione ever could conceive of, Draco Malfoy was stammering.

"What is it?" She breathed.

"You just can't be in danger, I won't allow it," he drew himself up and adjusted his sleeping daughter on his chest, she was purring lightly.

"Why do you care so much?" Hermione asked.

"I don't want to discuss that either," Draco responded, she shook her head.

"You're hiding something," Hermione observed.

"I'm not hiding anything," Draco sounded pathetic even to his own ears, she gave him a disbelieving look. He sighed and looked around her mostly tidy office.

"I was the one who killed those Deatheaters before you got there. I was the one that murdered Arthur Bagswell before he had a chance to drug your tea and take you to back to the Deatheater headquarters," Draco finally told her, she stared at him for a long time.

"Why did you tell me this earlier?" She finally asked.

"Because I knew you wouldn't have understood why I did it," Draco answered, setting his daughter carefully down on a chair and turning back to her.

"Why did you do it?" Hermione asked.

"I can't let anything happen to you," he answered simply.

"That doesn't explain anything. People don't just save other people because they don't want them hurt. Especially people that once hated each other. There's something deeper that you're not telling me," Hermione growled.

"I never hated you. Well no, I take that back, growing up I hated you but not for the conventional reasons. I hated you because you beat me at everything I cared about. You were always first when it came to grades, you had friends and people liked you. Genuinely liked you. Potter, he's the golden boy. It's expected that people adore him but you, you are a mudblood and people didn't care. I didn't understand it. You are the reason that I started doubting my father. And then you got captured and tortured by my aunt. That's when I saw your blood for the first time, it was red just like mine and I knew then that you weren't so different than me," Draco explained.

"So why take such an interest in my career after school? Why kill Deatheaters because of me?" She asked.

"I never wanted to see you hurt again, I could have wrapped my fingers around my own aunt's neck and watch the life slip out of her eyes for what she did to you. It was that feeling that made me realize that you were special to me," he explained.

"So why wait so long to tell me?" She breathed.

"I couldn't handle the rejection. You've always seemed to dislike me so I tried to move on. Velvet distracted me for a time but now it seems like you are more congenial towards me. I don't want you to think that I'm asking for anything from you but I can't lie to you," Draco answered, his eyes were shielded, he was trying to contain all the feelings boiling inside of him.

"You really don't want anything from me?" Hermione asked, he shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't want you to think I expect anything out of you for what I did," he answered.

"I see, well, I think we should go after Luna now. She might be in trouble and the longer we wait, the harder it's going to be to find her," Hermione folded up the letter and went to gather her things.

"Hermione," Draco called as she started to walk away from him.

"Yes?" She turned around, not realizing that he had followed her and was now very close to her, she had to tilt her head up to look into his eyes.

"I wish things had been different," he reached up and lightly touched her cheek, she blushed at the contact and took a step back from him.

"I-I'm sorry," She murmured, nervous.

"Don't be, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-" He started, turning around to pick up his daughter, Hermione stopped him with a hand on his arm. He turned back to her and couldn't help himself. He wrapped an arm around her petite waist and pulled her flush against him as he descended on her upturned lips. She gasped at the shock that passed through her, he took that as an invitation and plundered her mouth passionately. Her arms came up and wrapped tightly around his neck as she kissed him back. Someone cleared their throat behind them, they broke apart instantly. Hermione was hot and flushed while Draco had a pink tinge on his pale cheek.

"I see my prolonged absence had it's desired effect," Luna grinned at them.

"That was a mean trick Luna," Hermione admonished as Luna walked further into her office.

"Oh come on, I'm not one of the best reporters in the business because I can't see a good story brewing underneath my own nose," Luna sat down behind Hermione's desk and started rummaging through the papers.

"We were seriously worried about you," Draco growled.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure coming to Hermione before heading off to find me was the most logical first step. You could have easily spoken with the curator of the museum or the Sudanese government to find out my location," Luna smirked up at him before pulling out a file and holding it up. "Remember when I said that I had some more information on the Weremanxi?" She held out the file to Draco who took it and opened it.

"This is incredible," Draco breathed, looking through the well put together file, Hermione leaned closer to look at the detailed descriptions and a fold out map.

"Atlantis?" Hermione looked up at Luna skeptically.

"The British have different folklore on the Manx cat and I dug into that side of it thinking that it could pertain to the actual tribe. What I found was an ancient myth about a shipwreck. When I dug further, I found a very rare, unknown manuscript that detailed an Atlantean vessel as the ship instead of a Spanish vessel. The muggles changed the story because nobody wanted to believe Altantis is real," Luna explained, getting up and turning the page to a typed out reproduction of the original story.

"So the Weremanxi are Atlantean," Draco murmured, glancing over at Velvet who was curled up like a cat but still in human form as she slept.

"I believe so. It would explain why there aren't many of them unlike their cousins the werewolf," Luna responded.

"How did you come by all of this?" Draco asked, Luna shrugged.

"I had some spare time between this last dig and the one down south. Your welcome to keep that file, I believe you'll have better luck tracking down the original manuscript since money can you get you into more places than my brand of journalism," Luna answered, she turned towards the door. "Well, I'm exhausted from traveling all day. I'll see you both at dinner," she smirked knowingly at them before leaving. It was instantly uncomfortable in the room upon her departure.

"Well...I should get Velvet to a comfortable bed," Draco shut the file and went to carefully pick up the slumbering kitty.

"Draco..." Hermione called softly right before he left, he turned and looked back at her. "Thank you."

"Your welcome," he replied and disappeared out the door.


	6. In a Land Far Far Away

Hermione closed her eyes and silently sent a prayer to whatever or whoever was listening for things to be alright. She looked up at the gathered witches, wizards and magical creatures around them. The talks were slow going. There were the usual concerns about the basic chaotic nature of certain breeds. The rules had to be re-assessed and the wizards and witches weren't budging on some major issues.

"Vampires are killers just like werewolves, they can't control their basic nature," a battle hardened Auror shouted, he glared over at Draco before sitting down.

"Another outburst and I'll be forced to grant another recess," Shacklebolt pounded his fist on the table in front of him.

"Sir, Lady Tanaquill," one of the appointed mediators for the magical creature side gestured for an impossibly tall, willowy woman to come forth. She had silver white hair, flowing white robes and silver eyes, she stooped forward so as not to hit her delicate head on the ceiling. She stopped next to Draco and smiled softly down him. He grabbed her hand reassuringly before she continued up to the chair which was magically enlarged to accommodate her.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen," her voice was booming and unexpectedly strong coming from such a thin chest. She folded her hands over her lap and waited for Shacklebolt's questions.

"Lady Tanaquill, your species if I may?" Shacklebolt asked delicately.

"It is quite alright Minister. We all can't be well versed in the elemental world of magic. I am sometimes called Gloriana, the Faerie Queene," She answered, murmurs went up around the assembly.

"I don't quite understand, I thought Queen Mab held that title," Shacklebolt asked.

"No, no it's Titania!" Someone called helpfully from the crowd.

"You're all wrong! It's Queen Uonaidh!" A thick Irish voice spoke up.

"Quiet!" Shacklebolt cast another forbidding glare around the assemblage as the faerie smiled benignly in return.

"There are many names and as a Fae I can appear many different ways. This is just a good form to take when dealing with your kind," she explained.

"So your the Queen of all Fae?" Shacklebolt asked, rubbing at his temples to dispel his rising headache.

"No, we Fae don't distinguish ourselves so completely. It was easier back when humans had more direct contact with us to communicate on terms you could understand. You may call me Lady Tanaquill, I prefer that name now," she answered.

"Well then, Lady Tanaquill, we are honored to have you here with us. What I'm wondering is why you are here, the Fae have always been very elusive to the wizarding community to the extent that we haven't had direct contact beyond the smaller of your kind in centuries," Shacklebolt finally asked the real question, she nodded and her eyes slid over to Draco Malfoy.

"A very dear friend of mine convinced me that it was time we returned to the human world. Now that your war is over, you may be willing once again to listen to us," she replied, returning her bewitching gaze back to the Minister. The entire room was completely silent but it was an excited, happy silence.

"Provided of course that these talks go well," she added on, Shacklebolt raised an eyebrow that that and leaned towards Headmistress Mcgonagall who was seated down the line from him. The woman returned his look and nodded in acknowledgement.

"A private session with Lady Tanaquill is requested," Shacklebolt returned to the Wizengamot. Angry voices rose up but in the end everyone was forced to clear the room by the Aurors. Hermione sat down next to Harry nervously, she glanced over at him and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Luna Lovegood has always had direct contact with Lady Tanaquill. Her father took her to the portal leading to Avalon and she managed to open it but only for herself when she was only just four years old," Hermione explained in a low voice so none of the others around her could hear.

"What?" Harry said a little loud, she shushed him hurriedly, looking around but no one was paying attention to them.

"Luna took us to Avalon when Scorpius was born," she explained.

"Why?" He asked.

"Lady Tanaquill is Scorpius' godmother. Luna wanted her to return to the human world and Scorpius is the perfect way of doing that. It was all in our quest in getting into Atlantis," Hermione explained.

"So that's the real goal in all this, to get to Atlantis," Harry put two and two together.

"Yes, the more contact we have with the other side, the closer the Atlantis world gets to us. We are living in layers of reality Harry. We that grew up in the muggle world know better than anybody else how this all works. Secret worlds hiding in plain sight and all that, it's no different with Avalon or any of the other places," she explained hurriedly.

"But why? Is it really just about Velvet?" Harry asked.

"It's also about you, Harry. There's a reason why the Weremanxi brought you into their tribe, a reason why you are the way you are. Don't you want to find out? Don't you want to know for sure what you are?" Hermione asked, he looked at her for a long time.

"You didn't explain everything. Why you kept all this secret. Why?" Harry asked, his anger rising.

"Not here, we'll talk tonight. At dinner," She promised and stood up as everyone was called back into the room.

~~~!~~~

That Night...

If you had asked Harry Potter six months ago that Draco Malfoy would be sitting at his dinner table having a nonsensical conversation with his youngest child, Lily, Harry would have told you that you had been hit too many times with a bludger and you need to go to St. Mungo's. Immediately. Draco smiled at the youngest Potter as she explained how microwaves worked, Draco had not a clue what a microwave was but it sounded interesting, the only thing was, Lily didn't know what a microwave was either. She had only seen it at her cousin's house when they went to see the Dursley's last summer. Albus and James came running down the stairs and were instructed to wash their hands by Hermione who was helping her own son, Scorpius do the same at the kitchen sink. Velvet was stifling giggles as she listened in on Lily's tirade, she had already washed her hands earlier and was waiting for Harry to finish cooking dinner for them all. He had become an excellent cook since he became a single dad.

"You have a fine house Potter," Draco complimented as Harry called Albus and James over to set the table. Hermione hurried over and helped him carry the finished feast over to the table.

"Thank you, it was finally finished a few years ago. There wasn't much more than ruins when I started," Harry answered as he sat at the head of the table.

"Where did you live before then?" Draco asked politely as he accepted a folded napkin from the eldest young Potter.

"At the Black residence, it wasn't a good place to raise children but I managed," Harry explained.

"I liked it there," Lily spoke up next to Draco as she grabbed a chicken leg and started chowing down, grease instantly getting all over her face and hands.

"Velvet and James are the same age?" Hermione looked between the elder two children.

"Velvet probably just turned 13," Harry looked to the ebony haired weremanx who hadn't said a word since she crossed the threshold of Godric's Hollow.

"I turned 12 last spring," James spoke up proudly, he looked like a balanced cross between Ginny and Harry with dark red hair and freckles. Albus was a complete replica of Harry with round glasses and a stubborn cowlick to his thick black hair. He was currently sneaking curious glances at both Velvet and the platinum blonde Scorpius.

"And Scorpius is about the same age as Albus," Hermione wiped the grease off of Scorpius' round cheeks, he shook his head, trying to get away from his mother.

"So you'll be starting school this fall with me," Albus observed, Hermione smiled over at the middle child who was seated on the other side of her. Velvet was seated at the end of the table and was eating quietly with perfect table manners. Lily sat next to her, Draco in the middle and James on the other side of him.

"Are you excited?" Hermione asked, Albus nodded with an embarrassed smile on his face.

"Velvet is Slytherin?" Harry asked, looking up at his eldest child.

"Ravenclaw actually," Draco interjected in the uncomfortable silence, Velvet had just stared back at Harry instead of answering him.

"I see," Harry cleared his throat and took a sip of water.

"I'm going to be Gryffindor like James," Albus looked to his brother who nodded in return.

"You can be whatever you want to be Albus, you know that," Harry said.

"But what else should I be? Everyone else is in Gryffindor except for Louis and Victoire, they're both Ravenclaw oh and Molly and Lucy, they're in Hufflepuff..." Albus spoke up.

"It won't be decided until you get there anyway," Hermione told him.

"Sure but I hear that you can tell the Sorting Hat what you want and that's what you'll get," Albus replied.

"Not always, I heard that Angie Longbottom didn't want to be in Gryffindor because her dad is the head," James remarked. The rest of dinner went on much the same with more gossip about the next generation of Hogwarts students. Soon the children were up stairs playing while Hermione, Draco and Harry sat around the living room.

"She doesn't know, does she?" Harry asked, looking between the two.

"She knows, I told her when we found out. I don't lie to my children Potter," Draco answered, Harry nodded and looked down into his drink.

"Is that why she won't speak?" Harry asked.

"She's a little upset still," Draco explained uneasily. "She really did think that I was her father, I think she wanted that more than anything even though I never concealed the fact that she was adopted."

"Well then, why all the secrecy with me then?" Harry got down to the real reason he had asked them all over.

" You remember when Ron asked me to marry him?" Hermione started, Harry chuckled at the memory.

"What a disaster, I thought you two would never speak to each other again," Harry replied.

"Well that's when everything went south..." Hermione continued the story.

Past-

Hermione stood up from her cleaned out desk, she had returned to the Ministry one last time to pack up what little was left of her things. She was finally making the move down to Egypt for good and she was going to move in with Draco and Velvet who had purchased a nice, modern estate down in Cairo near the museum. Harry was furious at her choice to leave and wasn't talking to her. He moodily sat at his desk and stared out his door at her.

"Hermione, can I talk to you?" Ron appeared behind her, she spun around and looked at him, surprised that he even approached her. Ron usually stuck to Harry's side so whenever they disagreed, Ron stayed well away from her until it was over.

"Sure, what is it?" She asked, Ron looked around the office and then got down on one knee, she frowned and tilted her head in confusion.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Hermione Jane Granger, will you marry me?" He asked, taking her hand, pure shock entered her system like a bucket of ice cold water. Harry stood up and was walking towards him, puzzlement on his face.

"Ron...we're not even dating anymore," Hermione pulled her hand out of his grasp.

"But I can't let you leave, you can't leave us. We can be happy Hermione," Ron stood up, she looked up at him with a strange expression on her face as Harry joined them.

"You're serious?" Hermione breathed.

"Of course I am. You're being stupid Hermione. Your home is here, with us, with me," he explained simply, she raised an eyebrow while Harry let an amused expression steal over his face. He could see where this was heading and was just waiting for Hermione to get over the shock and start being indignant.

"Ronald Weasley, are you insane? I have a chance to study in Cairo-" Hermione's voice was raising as her finger started jabbing into his chest, Ron looked like she had slapped him with a bag of bricks.

"Hermione-" Harry tried to calm her down, the rest of the Aurors were starting to gather around them.

"No! I can't believe either of you! Harry runs off to who knows where and nobody says a word but as soon as I decide to do something for myself, you all think that you can just bat your eyes and control me!" Hermione shrugged savagely out of Harry's placating hold.

"But you can't leave us," Ron's hands reached for her but she took an even further step back from them.

"Not this time Ron. You go running to your backup girlfriend Lavender. I'm sure she'll take you back in a heartbeat like you've been doing on and off for the last three years. I'm not blind Ron!" Hermione screamed at him.

"Now Hermione-" Harry started in defense of his best mate.

"Don't you now Hermione, me. I'm tired of the both of you and you don't deserve to know anything about me anymore! Goodbye Ronald," she turned on her heel and stormed out, grabbing the few things of hers on the way out. She stopped to catch her breathe as the doors closed behind her and regretted it instantly. She ran to the lavatory and threw up in one of the toilets, her things strewn around her in her haste.

"Are you alright Granger?" Daphne Greengrass called as Hermione flushed the toilet and got up. She wobbled her way out of the stall and turned on the water. Daphne was checking her perfect makeup in the mirror and barely glanced at her.

"Fine...I think," Hermione replied, splashing water on her face.

"Looks to me like you should run a pregnancy spell," Daphne straightened her expensive dressrobes. The door opened near them and Daphne's younger sister, Astoria walked in.

"I swear, if I didn't know any better, I would think Draco was filing papers on getting out of his marriage arrangement with me," Astoria leaned against the wall next to Daphne, Hermione clutched the sink with white knuckles.

"That's ridiculous, he knows that we paid good money to the Malfoys years ago. He wouldn't renege on such a lucrative deal," Daphne patted her sister's arm and turned to leave.

"Then why is he here with his lawyer?" Astoria trailed after her sister. Hermione took a deep breathe and looked up at the haggard expression on her face.

"Because Draco Malfoy got me pregnant and doesn't want to marry your inbred ugly ass," Hermione hissed at the mirror, a smirk playing over her features. Her morning sickness rose again and the ran back into the stall.

Present-

"So you were going to tell us but Ron popped the question, got you mad and you left with out telling us?" Harry surmised, Hermione shrugged.

"Draco and I had returned to the Ministry to tie up loose ends after we found out I was pregnant. Things didn't go so well with the Greengrasses, they put a hex on Draco, making it impossible for him to marry anyone else. It was in the marriage arrangement that Lucius Malfoy had signed before he died. I didn't want to deal with the politics of the situation, got mad and left Cairo when I found out. Scorpius was 3 months old and I took him with me. Little did I know that the Malfoys had old magic on their firstborns. It wasn't long before I realized I couldn't take my son with me," She glared over at Draco who shrugged and spread his hands.

"It's not my fault that I'm a pure-blood," Draco responded, Hermione rolled her eyes, it was an old argument between them.

"We settled into a compromise, Draco moved back into the Malfoy Mansion while I found a flat in London. I started work at the Ministry's IMC department, International Magical Cooperation so I could return to Egypt anytime I wished. That's when I also started digging around the Magical Creatures department. Draco got involved with my work and how we started petitioning for the rights of Magical Creatures," Hermione explained.

"That all makes sense I guess," Harry nodded thoughtfully.

"Now why didn't you tell me about Velvet?" Hermione asked the question that she had been dying to ask him this entire time.

"I-well...I didn't tell anybody about her. Even when you asked for my help with the Wizengamot and the talks, I just couldn't. I had kept the secret for so long that I didn't know how to tell you," Harry answered.

"She isn't going to forgive you any time soon," Draco commented, Harry nodded sadly.

"I don't expect her to. I pawned her off on chance and that's unforgivable. I'm glad she was raised by you Draco and that's probably the craziest thing I'd ever thought I'd hear myself say," Harry smiled up at the aristocratic wizard.

"Well then, do you want to come to Avalon with us tomorrow? It's Scorpius' birthday and he always visits his godmother then," Hermione offered.

"Will I be able to bring my own children?" Harry asked.

"Of course," Hermione responded.

"Then I would love to," Harry answered, she nodded and had a satisfied smile on her face.


End file.
